Gracklepaw trailed behind the enforcer through the ShadowClan territory. He observed her every move, from how she carried herself to even the slightest flick of her ear or tail. To say that he looked up to ShadowClan's guards and enforcers was quite the understatement.
He stopped as they reached the secluded area, and sat down after she did. His eyes flickered to the squirrel on the ground back up to Lynxshade. [I]Why did he want to learn to flay?[lI] That was a good question.
His blue eyes met hers as he spoke. He wanted to exude confidence, despite his nervousness from her serious gaze. He sat up a little straighter and began to speak clearly. "I'd never met a cat who could flay before I joined this Clan. I knew that there were cats and other animals that could, but I would've never got the chance to learn before now."
He took a deep breath as he continued. "I used to be what the Clan's call a loner before Dawnstar allowed me to join ShadowClan. I've noticed that flaying seems to be a unique skill to ShadowClan, and lots of cats like to decorate their dens with pelts. I'd like to learn and participate in the tradition of flaying too," Manners, Grackle. He reminded himself then quickly added on, "ma'am."
Lynxshade observed the apprentice quietly, silently cursing herself for not having chosen a rabbit instead of a scrawny squirrel. It would've been easier with bigger prey, but she would have to do with what she had.
"You see, this practice became famous after Dawnstar started claiming the pelts of cats she killed in battle, and soon other warriors started following her example. But... I'm not teaching you to do the same. Dawnstar has her beliefs, but I believe that every cat fallen in battle should keep their honor and dignity and be buried by their beloved ones as we would like to do with ours. Now, tell me again. Why do you want to learn this practice?"
Lynxshade's green gaze burned into the apprentice's, making no moves, staying silent until he spoke. She wasn't really interested in what he would tell her. Every cat in Shadowclan had the right to follow their choices, even if unfortunately they didn't match with the Warrior Code that Dawnstar so obstinately rejected. She was just curious.
She hold a paw pressed on the squirrel, her sharp claws unsheathed. The scent of death rose up to her nostrils, but she welcomed it.
Lostspark had slowed down once she'd heard Mirepaw scampering after her, the reason behind her slowed pace being both for her daughter's shorter legs and so that Redrobin would have time to cool down a tad bit.
Smiling softly down at Mirepaw, Lostspark gently ran her tail along the younger feline's spine. "Have you had your territory tour yet?" She asked idly as they followed Redrobin's scent trail. It was a little while later that they caught up to the cat in question. "Ah, there you are." Lostspark said, mostly in greeting so Redrobin would not be startled by their sudden appearance.
As she felt her mother's tail on her back, Mirepaw let out a purr and rubbed her head along Mama's flank, standing on her tip toes to do so. "Not yet! But I've been the RiverClan border! Robin-cat actually took me!!" She remembered the way she had felt relaxed around the older cat, which made her mean words towards Mama all the more confusing. Maybe Robin-cat was just having a bad day?? Papa had been kinda scary...
"Hi!" The young apprentice waved her tail in greeting, standing beside Mama as she attempted to smile at the cat. Yeah, maybe she was just having a bad day. If Mama wasn't going to be upset, then Mirepaw wouldn't be either. "I, um, didn't mean to make you upset! I'm sorry if I did. I just didn't want my Mama to be sad, that's all." Oh, wait, but would that come across as though she wanted the other cat to be sad? Mire didn't want any cat to be sad! "But - I don't want you to be sad either!"
Redrobin turned to see Lostspark with Mirepaw right behind her, and Redrobin felt her fur lay flat at the sight of Lostspark's daughter. She bent her neck to touch her nose to the young apprentice's head between her ears.
''Don't worry, Mirepaw. It wasn't you,'' Redrobin purred, though it was shaky. ''If I had to say it was a specific cat, then that cat most definitely would have been Darkfall.''
Redrobin glanced at Lostspark. ''Lynxshade had me take her and Tuftedtusk out to mark the border with RiverClan.''
She looked at Lostspark. ''I'm....sorry, Lostspark. I'm sorry that I got all worked up. It's just....It's just hard, you know. I want ShadowClan to be the best it can be, and I guess that I just wasn't thinking straight at the moment - especially after my sister's death..''
Applestream [ NPC ] had passed away recently, and it had broken Redrobin's heart and tore away most of the patience that she had had back then. ''I know that Mirepaw might disagree with me on this, but if I had to say I had a favorite cat, it would have been Applestream. She was always so....always so....bubbly and kind, sweet and caring,'' Redrobin's green gaze glittered with grief and longing. ''Let's just say that Mirepaw is a lot like her, and I'm sure you're proud of her.''
''But, my sister isn't what you're here to talk about, and I don't want to think of her at the moment, so....'' Redrobin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ''I'm sorry that I got so defensive when you told me that I could have done a bit better. I know that I have room for improvement, and I know that there are a lot of cats who make mistakes, and that I am one of them.''
A lost little kit strayed far into Shadowclan territory, confusion and fear and loneliness drawing them further in. Their ears quietly twitched and flopped as they travelled far. They were rather scrawny and young. They had a grey tabby striped pattern, and fearfully treaded further.
they/them . thc . 11 moons . autistic
tags ; @Forgetfulshape
trigger warnings for this post: none
' oh, goodness! ' mumblemoth, well, mumbled, padding towards the small kit. they purred softly as they walked, ear twitching. they had been on a nice little stroll through the territory, but a stray kit just wouldn't do. ' come here, sweetie. are you lost? you don't have.. shadowclan scent.. '
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cobwebfern is riverclan’s medicine cat apprentice !
she and berryshine have a semi-closed den policy .
As she felt her mother's tail on her back, Mirepaw let out a purr and rubbed her head along Mama's flank, standing on her tip toes to do so. "Not yet! But I've been the RiverClan border! Robin-cat actually took me!!" She remembered the way she had felt relaxed around the older cat, which made her mean words towards Mama all the more confusing. Maybe Robin-cat was just having a bad day?? Papa had been kinda scary...
"Hi!" The young apprentice waved her tail in greeting, standing beside Mama as she attempted to smile at the cat. Yeah, maybe she was just having a bad day. If Mama wasn't going to be upset, then Mirepaw wouldn't be either. "I, um, didn't mean to make you upset! I'm sorry if I did. I just didn't want my Mama to be sad, that's all." Oh, wait, but would that come across as though she wanted the other cat to be sad? Mire didn't want any cat to be sad! "But - I don't want you to be sad either!"
Redrobin turned to see Lostspark with Mirepaw right behind her, and Redrobin felt her fur lay flat at the sight of Lostspark's daughter. She bent her neck to touch her nose to the young apprentice's head between her ears.
''Don't worry, Mirepaw. It wasn't you,'' Redrobin purred, though it was shaky. ''If I had to say it was a specific cat, then that cat most definitely would have been Darkfall.''
Redrobin glanced at Lostspark. ''Lynxshade had me take her and Tuftedtusk out to mark the border with RiverClan.''
She looked at Lostspark. ''I'm....sorry, Lostspark. I'm sorry that I got all worked up. It's just....It's just hard, you know. I want ShadowClan to be the best it can be, and I guess that I just wasn't thinking straight at the moment - especially after my sister's death..''
Applestream [ NPC ] had passed away recently, and it had broken Redrobin's heart and tore away most of the patience that she had had back then. ''I know that Mirepaw might disagree with me on this, but if I had to say I had a favorite cat, it would have been Applestream. She was always so....always so....bubbly and kind, sweet and caring,'' Redrobin's green gaze glittered with grief and longing. ''Let's just say that Mirepaw is a lot like her, and I'm sure you're proud of her.''
''But, my sister isn't what you're here to talk about, and I don't want to think of her at the moment, so....'' Redrobin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ''I'm sorry that I got so defensive when you told me that I could have done a bit better. I know that I have room for improvement, and I know that there are a lot of cats who make mistakes, and that I am one of them.''
Lostspark smiled at Mirepaw as the apprentice spoke about visiting Saltmeadow Marsh with Redrobin. Lostspark had some apologizing and thanking in order, it seemed.
Turning to Redrobin as the she-cat spoke, Lostspark tipped her head. "Speak as harshly or unharshly to me as you wish, Redrobin, it does not affect me." She said simply, and then shrugged. That was the truth. Lostspark did not care about other's opinions of her. They could think what they liked.
"And there is no need to apologize. There were never any hard feelings. I should know best that a little kindness goes a long way. We each have our own flaws. My words were not an order, they were a question, and a suggestion. I never raised my voice at you, Redrobin, because I was not scolding you. But while we're at the topic of apologies, I suppose I should give one as well. I am sorry for whatever hurt I inflicted on you with my words. I understand the pains of going through loss, Redrobin, and while I myself have caved to the grief on previous occasions, it has only taught me that losing control of ourselves is the worst way to remember those who have passed. You can grieve your sister, certainly, but don't... don't let it affect your relation with your Clan."
The scarred grey feline, lifted her head. "Come along, we should head back. Your event has yet to run it's course. Your originally placed effort cannot be put to waste."
Eyes crossing and shifting up as a nose got closer to her, the young apprentice stepped back just a little, but not entirely out of the way as the nose touched the space between her ears. At first Mirepaw was elated that she hadn't caused any pain - but then frowned as Robin-cat mentioned that Papa had been the cause of her discomfort. Shuffling her paws nervously, she looked up at Mama with a questioning gaze.
Then Robin-cat spoke about losing someone - a sister - and Mirepaw turned to look back with a gasp. Her blue eyes grew wide. Oh, that was terrible! She couldn't imagine losing any of her siblings, even though some of them - er, well, most of them - didn't really talk to her. Outside of Bleedingkit and Birdy she hadn't had much interaction with any of them. Howls... well, she didn't know where Howls was. "I'm sorry about your sister, Redrobin," she offered in a murmur, maw twisting into a frown. Instinctively she stepped closer to Mama, tail going to wrap around her as if Mama would disappear like Robin-cat's sister had. She still wasn't sure how she felt about the words spoken about Papa... Yeah, he had been angry, but he was Papa...
"I would like to participate in the event! I don't have lots of battle training yet so I would like to learn!" If only she hadn't been so focused on the rock she had found to play with, she could've joined in sooner.
Redrobin regarded Lostspark with a mixture of respect and curiosity, her green eyes holding a flicker of appreciation for the honesty and vulnerability in her words. Though their interactions had been marked by tension in the past, there was a newfound understanding blossoming between them.
"Your words carry weight, Lostspark," Redrobin replied, her tone softened by a hint of gratitude. "Thank you for your candor."
She nodded, acknowledging the apology with a grace born of experience. "We all bear scars, some visible, some hidden," she murmured, her gaze drifting momentarily to the horizon where the sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the landscape. "But it's how we choose to carry them that defines us."
With a determined flick of her tail, Redrobin turned to Mirepaw, her warrior instincts kicking in as she focused on the task at paw.
Redrobin felt a surge of affection for Mirepaw as she observed the young apprentice's reactions, her heart warming at the genuine empathy shining in those blue eyes. She offered a reassuring smile as Mirepaw flicked away, and let her tail gently brushing against the apprentice's flank in a silent gesture of kindness.
"Thank you, Mirepaw," Redrobin replied softly, her voice carrying a note of gratitude for the young cat's kind words. "Losing someone we love is never easy, but it's the memories we hold dear that keep their spirit alive within us."
She watched as Mirepaw's determination shone through, her admiration for the apprentice's eagerness to learn swelling within her chest."You're already showing great courage and enthusiasm, Mirepaw," Redrobin praised, her amber eyes glowing with pride. "I have no doubt that with time and training, you'll become a formidable warrior."
With a gentle nudge of encouragement, Redrobin led the way back to camp, her heart filled with hope for the future and the bonds of kinship that held them all together, even in the face of loss and uncertainty.
Redrobin glanced at Mirepaw over her shoulder as the three cats walked. ''I'd love to have you participate, Mirepaw, as long as your mother allows it.''
they/them . thc . 11 moons . autistic
tags ; @Forgetfulshape
trigger warnings for this post: none
' oh, goodness! ' mumblemoth, well, mumbled, padding towards the small kit. they purred softly as they walked, ear twitching. they had been on a nice little stroll through the territory, but a stray kit just wouldn't do. ' come here, sweetie. are you lost? you don't have.. shadowclan scent.. '
Re: ShadowClan Territory
Re: ShadowClan Territory
